Ice machinery.



No. 868,495. PATBNTED OCT. 15, 1907.

T. SHIPLBY.

1GB MACHINERY.

APPILIOA'HOI run n! 10. 1001.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 868,495. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

' T. SHIPLEY.

ICE MACHINERY.

APPLIOATIOI FILED KAY 10. 1901.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 868,495. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907. T. SHIPLEY.

ICE MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 10.1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

' .25 are arranged in proximity to, but insulated from; and

'THoMAs s iLPLEY, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

ICE MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1907.

Application filed lay 10,1907. .SsrialNo. 372,883.

To all whom it may wncem:

Be it known that I, Tnoruis SHIPLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of York, in the county of York and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in IceMachinery, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to that class of apparatus in which the ice ismade in tanks filled with the water to be frozen-the ice forming uponthe walls of the cells, or the coils, through which the refrigerantpasses. When coils are used, it is customary to apply plates to them oneach side, and the ice forms on these plates.

7 My invention has to do with thawing ofi the formed large cake of icefrom the surfaces on which it has formed, and of separating or dividingit up in situ for ease of removal from the tank. It may be employed ineither the cell system or the plate system. It, however, is moreparticularly useful in the last mentioned system; and it is in thisconnection that I shall describe it.

My purpose is to use electricity to do the thawing of the ice, and topass it for this purpose through conducting plates, which are includedin the circuit at will,

and constitute also division walls by which the ice cake is divided upinto smaller cakes. These plates at right angles with the surfaces onwhich the ice is I formed, and constitute partition plates which defineeffect, by reference" to the the limits of the subsequently thawed office cakes; and they are of relatively low electrical conductivity, sothat they will be heated by the electrical curren which is passedthrough them.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, Iwill now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is, or may be,carried into accompanying drawings in whichz w I Figure 1 is a verticalsection of a portion of a freezing tank, crosswise of the freezingplates and coilsshowing two coils in cross section. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of 'a portion of one of the coils, showing also two of thedividing plates. .Fig. 3 is a vertical'sectional elevation of the tankthe line of section being lengthwise of the plates. Fig. 4 is a plan ofthe same-representing however only a portion of the tank. Figs. 5, 8, 9are diagrammatic views of modified arrangements of dividing plateselectrical connections therefor. Figs. 6, 7 are sectionllviews of aportion of the tank system in Fig. 5 showing more in detail theelectrical circuit connections for the dividing plates in that figure.Figs. 10 and 11 are illustrations of details in the system shown in Fig.9.

, confining attention for the present to Figs. 1-4, in

the sectional view, Fig. 1,.two sets of coils with their frigerantpasses; I) being the iron plates on each side of said coils; and 0 beingthe ice frozen to said plates.

The dividing plates hereinbefore referred to are shown at d. They arethin, flat metal plates of comparatively low conductivitysay forexample, galvanized sheet iron platee which are set up in the tank oneach side of the freezing plates b, at right angles or edgewise theretoand at suitable intervals apart. They rest upon the bottom of the tank,in guide grooves 1, in which their lower ends are received as indicatedin Fig. 2. They are set up vertically in the tank with an interval ofsay half an inch more or less separating them from the plates b whichthey adjoin so that there may be no electrical contact between them andthe plates. At their upper ends the dividing plates are supported andsteadied by clips 2 between the jaws of which they are held. These clipsare secured to the freezing plates b, and suitable insulation musttherefore be provided at these points also, to' prevent electricalconnection between the dividing plates d, and the freezing plates 1;.The dividing plates (1 in this instance are each slotted vertically asindicated at e, Fig. 1, the slot extending from the top partway thelength of the plate, dividing it into two limbs united at or near thebottom. Each limb is provided with means for connecting it up incircuit, typified in this instance by plugs f and g, which are adaptedto be connected to the opposite branches F G of an electrical circuit inthe usual way.

The dividing plates d, insulated from electrical contact with the otherparts of the tank as-above explained, are set up in the tank before theice begins to freeze. When the ice has formed and is ready to beharvested, the refrigerant in coil 0 is heated up, as customary, so asto thaw the ice from the freezing plates b on each side or the coil. Thefirst dividing plate d, is then connected, up in circuit F G by theplugs and wiring f, 9, connected to the limbs of the dividing plate, asillustrated in Fig. 1 where one of the plates is shown thus connectedup. The current passes down one limb of the plate and up the other (asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 1) and the plate is thereby heated upsufiiciently to speedily free it from ice.. The cutter is then hoistedout'irom the ice by crane h (Fig. 3), the hoist of which is attached byhook and chain it, to an eye k on tl plate d (Fig. l) the frame k whichholds the eye and which is attached to the plate d being of coursesuitably insulated from the latter. One of the plates 0! is shown pulledup out of the ice and suspended from the crane in Fig. 3. The pullingout of the dividing plate from the ice, leaves a slot in the latter asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The dividing plates aresuccessively detached from the ice and removed in this way. As so .i asthey areremoved, the ice can be pried or barred loose I of which thecoils are made up and'through which the rei 4 volt, 2200 ampere current.

from the bottom planks m of the tank, and can then be removed from thetank by the crane, or by any other means desired.

The electrical current used for the purpose is a low tension current ofhigh amperage; and the plates (1 should be of sufiiciently high specificresistance to produ'ce the desired degree of heat when the current is.passed through them. Without wishing at all to limit myself to anyspecific figures, I may say that I have obtained excellent results witha slotted plate of No. 14 galvanized sheet iron, about 40 inches longand with limbs 4 inches wide on each side of the slot e.the latter beinginch wide. Thecurrent usedwas about a With this current a plate of thedimensions and quality above stated freed itself in less than 30 secondsfrom the ice in which it was ernbedded and frozen.

In this system it will be noted that the dividing plate hasa two foldfunction in that it serves not only in cf.- fect as a cutter by whichthe cake of formed ice is di; vided up, in situ, into blocks of any sizedesired, but also as .an electrical conductor, in which capacity formspart of the circuitthrough which the electrical current is passedinorder to produce the requisite heating effect. This I believe to benew with'me,.beyond its particular embodiment hereinbefore described.

In the remaining figures of the drawings I have illustrated some of thevarious ways in which my invention may be applied. g

- In n of the illustrations it will be understood, m for all, that thedividing plates are suitably insulated from the freezing plates or wallsupon which the ice forms, as well as from such other-parts of'theapparatus as may be needed to prevent short circuiting.

In the scheme illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, the divid? ing plates d areunslot ted; andthe two corresponding dividing plates d on opposite sidesof the coil, are electrically connected, this connection passing beneaththe coil, as indicated at n in Figs. 5 andjfi. Such a connection canreadily be made without interfering with the removability of the plates,their lower Ends (see 7) fitting in grooves provided with springyielding members n of conducting material formed somewhat as the forksof a knife plate switch, corrc sponding members n on opposite'sides ofthe coil being electrically connected by connections n passing beneaththe coil. The temporary circuit connections are made by applying theplugs and wiring f, 9, one t4) each plate, as indicated in 6. Thecircuit then will be from one leg F of the circuit, through connection fdown through one plate d, thence by connections n to plate d on theopposite side of the coil, up'through that plate, and thence back to theother leg G of the circuit, through connection 9. In this arrangementthe two corresponding dividing plates on oppositesidcs of the coil willbe heated simultaneously. l p

In the modification illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, is shown asystem of dividing plates arranged to free the ice cake on the bottom aswell as to cut it into blocks. In this arrangement the end dividingplates d are set on a slant so asto makethe cake of ice which forms onthe freezing plate smaller, or of less length, at

the bottom than at the top; the intermediate dividing plates dare'vertical and each of them is connected, both mechanically andelectrically, to a horizontal dividing plate (1 of similar material; themechanical connection between each vertical plate d, and its bottomplate d may be detachable, so as to permit each vertical plate to behoisted out of the ice, as in the system hereinbefore described.- Oneleg F of the circuit is connected .permanently to the two end plates d,and to each one of the intermediate bottom plates d, by branchconnections f f inclusive; and each of the vertical dividing plates d atits top, may be connected at will to the other leg Got the circuit byplugs and wiring designated g g inclusive. When any one of theintermediate plates d is plugged up into circuite. g. the plate carryingplug g the circuit will be from F, throughcbranch f, through bottomplate d connected therewith thence up through plated and out therefromthrough plug 9 to G. In this way both the bottom and the side plate ofeach pair will be heated at one operation. Connections from F,corresponding to ffinclusive, can readily be made to the bottom plates dpertaining to the next adjoining coil, as indicated for one pair 01 d ofsuch plates at theright hand end of the diagram. 7

In Figs, 9, 10, 1.1, I have represented a systemof dividing plates whichcut the ice on all three sides, and each set consisting of threeelectrically connected plates, each set electrically connected to theother and the arrang m nt i g such hat he current can be passed throughthem either two or more inseries, or each of them individually and succesively, The three dividing plates of each set comprise two uprightplates 41 and an intermediate bottom plate d electrically v andmechanically connected ether. The two upright plates convergeslightly'towards' their, lower ends so that the block of iceincludedbetween them wil be smaller at the bottom than at the top-this being tofacilitate its removal from'be tvil'eelzi the plates. These plates arefitted law the tank, and are designed to re-' msin there permanently;The sets are placed in a row on each side'of the freezing plates asshown in Fig. 9,

and plate 11 of each set, isconne'cted electrical y and mechanically tothe next adjoining plate d of the merit set, Under this arrangementtherewill be between the interior opposite {aces of the two plates d ofadjoining sets a wedge shaped opening, which can be filled by a. wedgeshaped piece of wood 0 or other suitable filling material (Fig. 10) tostiffen the plates and" to fill up a space which would othcrwiscbcfilled by ice.

The dividing plates can be suitably secured at the top to the {nuns ofthe freezing coil by brackets p, as

illustrated in Fig. l1 -such"brackets being of course suitablyinsulated. The dividing plates are of course separated by an interveningspace from the freezing coil or plate, as in the other arrangementshereinbefore' described. r

In this system of connected plates I can pass the electric currentthrough the whole row of plates in series f between the points F and G9; or by suitable plugs and wiring (indicated by dotted lines in thesame figure) each set of plates may be separately connected up, or twoor more sets may be connected up in series as desired.

The plan last above described in connection with 7 Figs. 9-11, is onewhich in practice has given excellent results, and isthe one which Ionthewhole prefer} although I do not wish to be understood as limitingmy self thereto. Other plans might also be set forth, but thosehereinbet'ore described will sutlice to illustrate the nature and scopeof my invention.

In all of the plans heretofore in use. so far as I am aware, fordetaching the ice cake. and dividing it up into smaller blocks by theapplication of hcatedappliances; not only has the operation beentediously slow and loss of ice due to excessive thawing.

All of these disadvantages are obviated by niy invention. under whichthe ice can be harvested iua fraction f the time needed to do it in anyother way ,'and the loss of ice in the harvesting operation is reducedto practically nothing.

Having described my invention and the best way now known to me ofcarrying the same into practical effect I state in conclusion that I donot limit myself strictly to the structural details hereinbet'oresett'orth in illustration of my invention. since manifestly the same canbe varied considerably without departure from the spirit of theinvention: but

What I claim herein as new and desire to secure by I.ettcrs Patent is:

1'. in It nntehmery the combination with the tank and mm for me purposesSet forth.

the freezing plate on which the ice is formed. of an upric'ht dividin;plate of relatively low electrical conductivi'y. set edc'ewise inproximity to. bttt insulated from. said 2. In ice machinery thecombination with the tank and the freezing plate on which the ice isformed, of an on right dividing plate and a horizontal bottom dividingplate of relatively low conductivity electrically connected together.set edgewise and in proximity to, out electrically insulated from. thefreezing plate, and electrical connections whereby said dividing platesmay be connected up with, said freezing plate. each set in circuit at:will with a source of electrical supply, substantiully as and for thepurposes hereinbefore set forth. attd ditiicult but there has been greatresultant waste 3. In ice machinety the combination with the tank andthe freezing plate on which the ice is formed. of two sub stantiallyupright dividing plates and an intermediate bottom dividing plateelectrically connected together and of relatively low conductivity, setedgewise and in proximity to. httt electrically insulated from. thefreezing plate, and electrical connections whereby may be connected upin circuit with a supply substantially as and for the set forth.

4. In ice machinery. the combination with the tank and the freezingplate on which the ice is formed, of a plurality of sets of dividingplates of low electrical conductivity placed tandem along side of, butout of electrical contact consisting of two up \vurdly diverging.upright plates and a bottom plate ex tending between and mechanicallyand electrically connccting their lower ends. electric connectionsbetween contiguous plates of adjoining sets. and electrical connectionswhereby the several sets may at will be connected up in circuit with asource'of electrical supply, substantially as source of electricalpurposes hereinbefore In testimony whereof I affix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

freezing plate and adapted to be embedded and frozen 1 into the cake ofice as, it forms. and electrical connections whereby said dividing platemay be connected up in cllt'llil at will with a source of electricalsupply, suh stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

THOMAS SIIIILEY.

Witnesses A. B. STRICKLER, T. A. S'rnnntxs.

said dividing plates.

